A leader retires

Adam Ballinger, one of the most important players in the NBL in recent years, has called it quits. The 35 year-old power forward, born on June 12, 1979 in Bluffington, Indiana, graduated from Michigan State in 2003 and spent almost its entire professional career in Australia, country which acquiredm citizenship in 2009.

His first season was in Victoria Giants, where he averaged 15.7 points and 7.3 rebounds before being hired by Wollongong. In his three years with the Hawks, under head coach Brendan Joyce, he played 102 games where he averaged 18.4 points and 8.1 rebounds before his stint in Puerto Rico with Gigantes de Carolina in the summer of 2007.

After his season in the BSN, Ballinger went to Adelaide, where he played the next five years and become an idol. In 121 games with the 36ers he averaged 18.2 points and 6.7 rebounds, but an injury in his last year there (2011-12) limited him to barely 5.5 points in 8 games. The 2012-13 season would play in Melbourne, where he played the next two years. In 56 games with the Tigers (now Melbourne United) he averaged 8.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season until his comeback to Wollongong, where he finished his career with testimonial numbers (4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game).

His final numbers in his 12 year career in the NBL are 5,167 points (15.2), 2,118 total rebounds (6.2), 313 assists (1.0), 113 steals (0.3) and 340 plugs (1.0 ) in 338 games.Matias Barmat (@worldhoopstats)